JULY 29

CLEAN HANDS

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart.” (Ps. 24:3-4)

“He that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.” (Job 17:9)

While the “clean hands” would be a part of being “righteous,” as we considered in yesterday’s meditation, there are some specific points to be considered with this qualification. To be clean is to be free from whatever sullies or defiles, no interior flaws. Why do we say “no interior flaws”? Because Jesus made it very clear, it isn’t the outside of the cup alone, but the inside that needs to be clean, and then it follows that it is also easier to keep the outside clean. For “not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. – For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the things which defile a man.” (Matt. 15:11,19-20). Therefore we say, to be clean requires that the inner condition be pure and clean, then the acts which follow will be clean also.

Jesus said, “for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me…” (John 14:30). When there is nothing within that the enemy can lay claim to, this is purity indeed. This is our challenge, our vision, and to this end we understand that God has purposed our daily travail and processing. We might say, in the measure we have been, and our being purified, we are going from strength to strength.

Recognizing that it is a daily work of God within, what is it that is doing the cleansing work in us? Jesus said, “Now are ye clean through THE WORD which I have spoken unto you.” (John 15:3). While Paul wrote that “He might sanctify and cleanse us with the washing of water by THE WORD.” (Eph. 5:26).

James also links the hands and the heart together when he admonishes, “Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands… and purify your hearts.” (James 4:8). Thus we daily overcome!